After keeping their save for weeks, "American Idol" judges used their sole right to keep a finalist from elimination on Thursday, April 3. Some may question the judges' decision considering Sam Woolf's modest performance compared to other stronger singers' the night before.

It was the moment dreaded by most contestants on "American Idol" as they had to sing in groups. Picking up where the last episode left off, the Thursday, February 6 outing saw the group performances. By the end of the day, only half of them stayed on the competition.

"American Idol" officially kicked off its season 13 with a new jugding panel on Wednesday, January 15. The episode captured some of the good and bad auditions in Boston, Massachusetts and Austin, Texas, as well as introduced The Chamber where the contestants went to before their first audition.

"American Idol" may have got back the formula that made it so loved by fans in its earlier years. Met at Z100's Jingle Ball in New York City on Friday, December 13, newly added judge Harry Connick Jr. claimed the upcoming season 13 would be better than the last installment.

Harry Connick Jr. has responded to Mariah Carey's comment that compared "American Idol" to hell. After the R&B diva opened up about her experience working on the show last season, the new judge which joins the show for the upcoming 13th installment tweeted, "@MariahCarey - Must've been hard to judge in hell. Idol XIII: Welcome to heaven!"

Following his successful mentoring stint on "American Idol", Harry Connick Jr. may return to the show next year with a bigger role. Rumors circulating that the jazz singer/actor has been approached to join the show as a mentor for the upcoming season and he confirms it.

"Law & Order: Special Victims Unit" will heat up Olivia Benson's love life by casting Harry Connick Jr. The actor/singer is tapped to join the cast for a four-episode arc as Executive Assistant District Attorney David Hadena, a prosecutor assigned to a case with Mariska Hargitay's detective character. Their work relationship will then blossom into something more.

Singer/actor Harry Connick Jr. is taking Barbra Streisand's hit film "On a Clear Day You Can See Forever" back to Broadway in a new revival this autumn. The Grammy winner will return to the New York stage with "American Idiot" director Michael Mayer, who is giving the original 1965 play a gender-bending twist.

Actor Mark Salling is following in the musical footsteps of his "Glee" co-star Matthew Morrison by releasing his own album. The 27 year old plays bad boy footballer Noah 'Puck' Puckerman on the hit TV comedy, about a high school show choir, and regularly shows off his vocals on the program.

Three names have been tossed in as the potential replacement of Simon Cowell on "American Idol". One of them which is Harry Connick Jr. has been heard before because he was praised for his brief stint as guest mentor in season 9, but Chris Isaak and Donald Trump only enter the consideration list now.

Singer/actor Harry Connick Jr. has landed himself in trouble with his wife after confessing he once accidentally allowed his underage daughter to drive his truck. The star reveals he was catching up on his sleep at home one day when his then-14-year-old daughter Georgia approached him about moving the vehicle so it no longer blocked the driveway.

Harry Connick Jr. has questioned Simon Cowell's capabilities to judge budding talent on reality shows like "American Idol" because the music mogul has no singing background of his own. The singer/actor admires Cowell but admits he would like to see a musician replace the Brit as a judge on "American Idol" next season, instead of another sharp-tongued critic.

Singer Harry Connick Jr. struggles to part with freebies he picks up at awards show gifting suites - because he loves to look at the neatly packaged treats. The "It Had To Be You" crooner admits he has no shame when it comes to claiming swag offered up by awards show sponsors - and takes all he can carry with a view to handing it out to friends and family at Christmas.